This time of year in the garden I find interesting items. This is a seed pod from one of the vine-y pea wildflowers that we have all over the woods. I saw the long pods earlier, but now, it is a spiral open pod with the seeds ready to drop.
About this time of year the Euonymus americana, 'Heart's A-Bustin' is only green stems --except for a few uneaten 'hearts'. The edged green stems are an easy ID for this plant. I like having those absolutely certain indicators.
Love these bright red seeds. Apparently so do the little critters in the garden.
In the front yard is my Camellia sasanqua 'Yuletide', a very young and new plant for me. I am thrilled to have it blooming so profusely in its first year in my garden. I love Camellias and have a couple others in the back garden, one along the side, one waiting to be planted (impulse buy at Lowe's) and an offer of one I LOVE 'Pink Perfection' from a fellow blogger. (He has propagated some of his!)
Don't you just love all that pollen? The bloom looks like it was dusted with gold.
My little Sassafras tree is finally starting to change to its fall colors. I think that is one of the reasons I like Sassafras so much, the fall colors of oranges and corals and salmons.....ohhhhhh my.
It is hard not to again showcase the Sumacs in the front yard, their red colors are just sparkling.
Lots of seeds are ready to be disbursed in the wind, these are some of the Goldenrod that are native to my area. These delicate little seeds, each with their own bit of feathery fluff, help to carry them to new locations.
This is a poll question for everyone.....do you like the photo as it is above or lighting/shadows adjusted and polariod tool used in the one below. Above or below?
More of the Goldenrod seeds, different variety, ready to fly.
or be carried--- when the dogs go out, they like checking out the woods and come back in with all sorts of seeds all over their coats.
From the sparkles of ornamental grasses--- here in the backlit setting sun
To a close up of the seeds--
To gorgeous fall color of a Crepe Myrtle, I love the offerings of fall in my garden.
©Copyright 2012 Janet. All rights reserved. Content created by Janet for The Queen of Seaford.
words and photos by Janet,The Queen of Seaford. 
Lovely lovely pictures Janet. The sumac picture makes the seeds look like frosted candy!
ReplyDeleteTina, thanks! Sumac is such a cool plant in the fall. Super color.
DeleteThe lower photo does it for me. There is more color contrast that differentiates the subject without looking fake or over-edited. And the sunlight is still visible.
ReplyDeleteRay
Ray, the lower one? ok. Thanks! They were a toss-up for me. Great comment on the differences.
DeleteGorgeous captures! The seed pod looks like natural ribbon to me. The second photo is more crisp and clear to me.
ReplyDeleteDarla, thanks. The seed pod is ribbon like, isn't it? Second vote for the second one.
DeleteI like this time of year because the things you find are things most would not give a second glance. It is funny, but almost each image, even the rose, I just shot yesterday for an upcoming post. We must really 'see' field finds the same. Thinking alike I must add.
ReplyDeleteDonna, GWGT, You are right, interesting things in nature this time of year...well every time of year...each season has its own stars. Great minds. ;-)
DeleteWhat wonderful pictures Janet. I so love your Camellia. Just gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteLona, thanks! I think Camellias are super, they bloom at a time when you could really use a bright spot in the landscape.
DeleteBeautiful photographs! I like the upper image. I love the camellia. We have two of them despite the fact that we are really on the cusp of their growing area. So we are always prepared to see the huge buds turn brown and drop off. But every now and then we are rewarded and just revel in their beauty.
ReplyDeleteCarolyn, thanks a bunch! Yours is the first vote for the first photo.
DeleteIt would be hard to see a bud getting plump, ready to bloom, only for it to turn mushy and fall off.
Great pictures. I especially like the hearts a bustin - never heard of that one - and the sumac.
ReplyDeleteJason, thanks!! Hearts a Bustin' is a great native plant...also a great song by Billie Joe Shaver.
DeleteHi Janet, i came in from Donna of GWGT. You already have wonderful photography skills, as shown in this post and the previous posts. The present is like a continuation of Donna's maybe because they are also awesome. I find those pollens and weed seeds awesome, as i always have difficulty shooting the pollens. They are either moving slightly with the wind, or my hands are not steady enough! I love yours!
ReplyDeleteAndrea, welcome!! Thanks for the comments, you are most kind. I too find the pollen and seed pods so interesting. My hands are not steady, and we have wind!! Patience.
DeleteI like the original (unedited) photo of the goldenrod seed.
ReplyDeleteThat Sassafras seedling has great colors!
And I'm with you on the camellias. Fell head over heel for the ones in our front border, so I went out and bought two more. (All the plants at Lowes looked pathetic, so I went to my favorite local nursery. Paid a pretty penny, but can you really put a price on a bush full of camellia flowers??)
Aaron, thanks!! yours is the second vote for the first photo. Sassafras has the best fall color. Yes, Camellias are super!!! A Camellia bush full of blooms?? Priceless.
DeleteI fell in love with sassafras as a kid: the various leaf shapes, some like mittens, still thrill me. Now that I'm a grown-up (it says in fine print), the fall color excites me too, as does sassafras' status as a larval food for the spicebush swallowtail butterfly.
ReplyDeleteThe spiral pod is great! I haven't seen that one; thanks for sharing it.
Last, but not least, I vote for the original image of the goldenrod seedhead.
Gaia, we all have a childhood memory of Sassafras I think. (I hate that fine print) Thanks, that spiral pod was a nice surprise.
Deleteyou are the third vote for the original photo.
The spiraling pods are so neat! Better make sure to keep the doggies brushed or they may be host to some plants come spring! Ha... I like the second polaroid pic best. It seems a bit brighter and the border seems to add a bit of interest as well. So many different colors on one small tree, Wow, love that collection....
ReplyDeleteSkeeter, yes the spiral pods are pretty cool. There are some days that the dogs are covered with seeds, just amazing. You are the third vote for the second photo. It is really hard to decide.
DeleteMy vote goes to the original photo. I wonder if Sassafrass would be happy here. I've not seen any at our nurseries, but love that leaf shape and the color. Sassafrass tea, anyone?
ReplyDeleteRicki, Fourth vote for the original. thanks! Not sure what your zone is....I did a posting about Sassafras. Check it out and see if you might be able to have one!
DeleteI like the second photo of the seeds since you asked. That seed pod that is twisted is interesting too. Luna scatters all sorts of seeds around as they get caught in her fur. Sassafras is a beautiful little tree. I like it's contortions as well as those leaf shapes and colors.
ReplyDeleteLisa, thanks!! Another vote for the second one. Tied 4- 4. I love my little Sassafras...great tree.
DeleteI love the first one and the more muted colors...wonderful to see your garden and the likenesses and differences in fall.
ReplyDeleteDonna @GEV, thanks for the vote. 5- 4 now. Fall really opens up our views and seems to increase our gardens.
DeleteMy crepe myrtles had very little fall color this year. We were hit with an early frost and their leaves have started to dry up and just drop. Argh! Love the mitten leaves of the sassafras. Very pretty. :o)
ReplyDeleteTammy, Sorry about your Crepe Myrtles, what a shame. Yes, little mittens are cute leaves.
DeleteBeautiful photos, Janet! I prefer the first photo of the wispy seeds, but enjoyed all of these. It just shows that if you look closely enough, there are so many interesting things still going on in the garden. I can relate to the dogs--I think Sophie may be responsible for spreading seeds around our place as much as the birds:)
ReplyDeleteRose, thanks! Ok, the vote is now 6- 4 for the first photo. Oh those dogs carry enough seeds to plant an entire garden.
DeleteI like the non-polaroid version better.
ReplyDeleteLes, thanks. 7-4 in favor of the first one.
DeleteWow, your seed photos are gorgeous! Love the back lighting too! I have had Hearts-a-bustin on my to buy list for years. They are so cool and the critters love them, even better! Your pollen shot is awesome! My camellia (sasanqua) haven't started to bloom yet. They have buds so I guess we are just a little behind here.
ReplyDeleteKarin, thanks!! Fall lighting is always great! I would love to share a Hearts a Bustin with you. We live really close.
DeleteMy Yuletide is the first one to bloom with 'Bonanza' coming in a close second.
omg Janet ~ your photography in this post is the bomb!!!! I'm so inspired. Love the macro of the Camellia. Wish they were hardy here. boo hoo. Glad they are doing so well ~ the promised pink one will be gorgeous. Your fall looks like it's been a good one too.
ReplyDeleteKathleen, you are so sweet!! thanks. Yes, the Camellia is super. Sorry they aren't hardy in your area.
DeleteWhat a wonderful long post with great pictures! The sassafras leaves are such a wonderfully distinctive shape and beautiful colors. I really love that closeup of the Camellia flower with all the golden pollen. I planted a Yuletide Camellia my first year here, but it wouldn't flower, so I tried moving it, which killed it. That was a bummer. I prefer the unfussed-with picture, but mainly because it's bigger. I planted a little baby-size hearts-a-bursting this spring, I'm hoping it does well.
ReplyDeleteAlison, thanks so much. Yes, Sassafras is very distinctive with its foliage. Sorry your 'Yuletide' died. You are in the majority for the vote on the first photo. Good luck with the Hearts a Bustin.
DeleteVery nice pics! I think I prefer the bottom photo. Love the seeds on your dogs coat.
ReplyDeleteKim and Victoria, thanks!! Second photo..got it. 8- 5 in favor of the first one. My dogs are always covered with seeds!
DeleteLove that photo of your little sassafras tree. The leaves have such a great shape and such beautiful colour.
ReplyDeleteMarguerite, thanks. It is a super native tree.
DeleteHi Janet, I agree that this is a time of year with less visual distractions and that helps you focus in. It is interesting to see the different ways plants spread their seeds. The unfurling spiral of the wildflower pea is quite unique. I like the Euonymus americana, 'Heart's A-Bustin' if only because of the name. As for your poll, I see everyone is pretty evenly divided. The contrast is nice in the second image- the white fluff is brighter/whiter. On the other hand the background went whiter with the fluff and becomes a bit distracting. I wonder if there is a way to adjust the one without the other using the polariod tool?
ReplyDeleteJennifer, I love finding interesting seed pods and colors in the fall. As for the photo, yes I adjusted the lighting and shadows on the second one, then put the polariod background with it. Always fun to 'monkey around' with the pictures.
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